1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical stapling apparatuses that are capable of applying lines of fasteners to tissue while cutting the tissue between those fastener lines and, more particularly, to improvements relating to fastener deployment and formation.
2. Background of Related Art
Endoscopic and laparoscopic surgical apparatuses are often preferred over traditional open surgical devices since a smaller incision tends to reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications. The use of laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures has been relatively popular and has provided additional incentive to develop the procedures further. In laparoscopic procedures, surgery is performed in the interior of the abdomen through a small incision. Similarly, in endoscopic procedures, surgery is performed in any hollow viscus of the body through narrow endoscopic tubes inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin.
Laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures generally require that the surgical region be insufflated. Accordingly, any instrumentation inserted into the body must be sealed to ensure that gases do not enter or exit the body through the incision. Moreover, laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures often require the surgeon to access organs, tissues and/or vessels far removed from the incision. Thus, apparatuses used in such procedures are typically long and narrow while being functionally controllable from a proximal end of the apparatus.
Significant development has gone into a range of endoscopic surgical apparatuses that are suitable for precise placement of a distal end effector at a desired surgical site through a cannula of a trocar. These distal end effectors engage the tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect (e.g., endocutter, grasper, cutter, staplers, clip applier, access device, drug/gene therapy delivery device, and energy device using ultrasound, RF, laser, etc.).
Known surgical stapling apparatuses include an end effector that applies lines of fasteners. The end effector includes a pair of cooperating jaws that, if the apparatus is intended for endoscopic or laparoscopic applications, are capable of passing through a cannula passageway. One of the jaws receives a fastener cartridge having at least two spaced rows of fasteners (e.g., staples). The other jaw defines an anvil having fastener-forming pockets aligned with the rows of fasteners in the cartridge. The apparatus includes a plurality of reciprocating wedges or cam bars which, when driven, pass through openings in the fastener cartridge and engage drivers supporting the fasteners to effect the firing of the fasteners toward the anvil.
Small videoscopes of various types (e.g., endoscopes) may be relied upon to monitor proper positioning and operation of the surgical stapling apparatus. While effective to a degree, it is desirable to have improved monitoring of operation of the surgical stapling apparatus. When utilizing stapling devices containing multiple fasteners in each cartridge load, it is also beneficial to determine which fasteners are being deployed and whether they are being formed properly.
More particularly, during surgical stapling procedures it is beneficial to have verification that the fasteners are forming properly because it promotes seal integrity and the mechanical strength of the connected tissues. The need for this recognition is of greater importance when the tissue is also being transacted with a knife blade along the side or between the fastener line to give the surgeon additional confidence that excessive bleeding and/or contamination is not taking place.
Consequently, a continuing need exists for an improved surgical stapling and severing apparatus that incorporates fastener deployment and formation monitoring capabilities to assure the mechanical and hemostatic integrity of a surgical stapling device.